Comptroller investigate losses in water plant CNFL

The company also will review whether there were irregularities in the implementation of the work

April 30th,2015

Determine causes and responsible for losses in Balsa Inferior Hydroelectric Project, National Power and Light Company (CNFL), will be the target of an investigation requested by the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR).

The request to the comptroller was approved Tuesday night on a motion of the Supervisory Board of Revenue and Public Expenditure Congress.

By law, the CGR should abide by the legislative body.

Implementation of the project, which is located in San Ramon de Alajuela, recorded losses of $ 64 million, without even have been opened.

In addition, the cost of the work grew and its current value is 3.5 times higher than the $ 93 million that were estimated at the beginning (in 2008).

According to the CNFL, the construction of the dam by the Brazilian consortium OAS-Engevix and the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), would amount to $ 333.4 million.

Internal process. On Tuesday appeared before the legislative committee, the general comptroller Marta Acosta and manager and former manager of the CNFL, Victor Solis and Pablo Cob, respectively.

During his speech, Mr Solis announced that the company is also interested in clarifying what happened to Balsa Inferior, in order to determine whether there was negligence or, any irregularities in the management of resources.

"We want to do a review of all proceedings in the project, the acts that there have been developed and the potential liabilities that may have for breach of technical, administrative and other procedures," he said.

That formed a panel to make inquiries.

Doubts. The proposal to request the intervention of the CGR came from deputy Frente Amplio, Jorge Arguedas. It was accepted unanimously.

"I think this case the Comptroller touch him to assure us that no independent judgment. Institutional commissions are usually formed by politicians and favor the government in power, "Arguedas said.

The losses in the hydroelectric scheme which would produce 37.5 megawatts, led to a financial imbalance in the coffers of the Power and Light Company, which closed 2014 with a deficit of $ 12.8 billion (about ¢ 7,000 million ).

This situation forced the company to postpone the payment of ¢ 19,000 million ICE purchasing power has since last November.

Source: 'La Nación'